The Next Big Idea Daily You've Been Pooping All Wrong (And It's Affecting Your Brain)
24 snips
May 7, 2026 
Elsa Richardson, cultural historian exploring the social history of the gut, and Dr. Tricia Pasricha, gastroenterologist studying gut‑brain links, discuss how toilet habits and gut biology intersect with mood and cognition. They explore the gut’s nervous system, microbiome effects on behavior, modern pooping problems, historical beliefs about digestion, and how gut ideas shaped culture and identity.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Parkinson's Might Start In The Gut
- Misfolded alpha-synuclein may originate in gut neurons and travel up the vagus nerve to cause Parkinson's decades later.
- Tricia Pasricha cites epidemiology and vagotomy studies showing lower Parkinson's risk when the vagus nerve was severed.
Microbiome Shapes Motivation And Brain Chemistry
- The 100 trillion microbes in the microbiome influence immunity, gut lining, and send signals that affect brain chemistry.
- A Nature 2022 mouse study found microbiomes drove exercise motivation via gut proteins signaling dopamine to the brain.
Fix Your Toilet Posture And Routine
- Do optimize the three Ps for healthy bowel movements: propulsion, pliability, and pelvic floor relaxation.
- Tricia Pasricha recommends more fiber, using your morning bowel window, and a footstool to mimic squatting and straighten the rectal tube.
